Gone Guy
by Vanessa Sgroi
Summary: Tony's tailing a suspect when things go horribly wrong.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to NCIS. Just having a little fun.

**Gone Guy**

**By: Vanessa Sgroi**

"I've got eyes on him, Boss," assured Tony in a low tone.

"Keep Aahil in sight, DiNozzo," instructed Gibbs. "Let me know if he moves an inch."

Tony eased his sunglasses onto his face and pulled the bill of his generic baseball cap lower on his forehead. He eased down onto a nearby bench, eyes glued to his quarry.

After a good 15 minutes, Aahil Jafar nodded to his dark-haired lunch companion and stood.

"Boss, he's on the move," DiNozzo murmured.

"Follow but do not engage," ordered Gibbs.

"Got it," Tony acknowledged.

Slouching on the bench, Tony played with his phone, pretending to text someone until Aahil passed in front of him. Counting to five, DiNozzo stood, slipped his phone into his pocket, and slid into place behind their current person of interest.

"He sure seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere," muttered Tony more to himself than to Gibbs as he increased his speed a bit to keep Jafar in sight. Without warning a woman cut in front of Tony, forcing him to sidestep and shimmy to keep from running her over. He absently steadied her with a hand to her shoulder and expertly weaved around her, gaze anxiously searching for the man he was tailing. Tony spotted him turning a corner into what looked like an alley.

"Boss," Tony advised, "Jafar just turned into an alley near the intersection of Prescott and Sixth. I'll follow."

"Copy that," confirmed Gibbs. "Proceed with caution, DiNozzo."

Tony's steps slowed as he approached the alley. He placed his back to the brick wall, pausing long enough to ease off his sunglasses and hook them on his pocket before peering around the corner. Pieces of trash tumbled and twisted in the breeze, skipping aimlessly along the dark, slick pavement dotted here and there with circles of oil glinting with a faint rainbow shimmer. Other than that nothing else moved. In fact, the alley appeared to be empty.

Resting a hand on the butt of his gun, Tony inched forward then trotted deeper into the alley. A puzzled frown marred his features. "Now I know why they call him 'The Ghost', Gibbs," he murmured. "He's gone, but I don't know where, damn it. No windows, no doors, no trashcans or dumpsters." Tony turned in a slow circle. "I hate to say this, but I think I los—"

A body slammed into DiNozzo from behind, driving him forward into a nearby wall. His forehead connected hard with the brick and his breath exploded from his lungs from the collision.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs yelled, his voice harshly echoing through the earpiece.

Shaking off a wave of dizziness, Tony spun toward his attacker while at the same time reaching for his gun. An elbow to the eye knocked him off balance, and he slipped on the damp pavement, going down to one knee. He grabbed ineffectually at Jafar's clothing. His attacker wrenched Tony's arm forward and he gave a muffled grunt as he felt shoulder slide out of its socket. Another fist connected with Tony's temple. His vision grayed at the edges and he slumped to his hand and knees, struggling to remain conscious. As quickly as the attack started, it ended. Aahil Jafar disappeared as silently as he'd appeared.

"B-Boss, h-he got 'way," Tony breathed out as his vision grayed further and then winked out entirely.

"DiNozzo, we're coming!"

****NCIS****

"DiNozzo! DiNozzo, c'mon, wake up," Jethro gruffly coaxed.

Gibbs' voice cajoled Tony from the depths of unconsciousness. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing against the onslaught of light.

"Boss?" he rasped.

"Got it in one."

Tony's eyes drifted shut. "How long was I out?"

"Five minutes give or take. What happened to 'do not engage', DiNozzo?" grumbled Gibbs, not unsympathetically.

"Sorry, Boss. He kinda…kinda engaged ME!" Tony riposted, opening his eyes. "Still don't know where he came from. Sorry I lost him though."

"Well, he earned the nickname for a good reason." Gibbs rested a hand on Tony's chest. "Can you sit up?"

"Yeah." With Gibbs' help, Tony maneuvered upright. He cried out when his dislocated shoulder made itself known. He bit his bottom lip and supported his arm with his good hand. "Damn."

"Shoulder?"

"Yeah," he hummed out as he rode out the wave of pain. "Dislocated. Again."

"You hurt anywhere else?"

Tony sighed. "Well, there are two of you…"

"So a concussion then."

"Hospital?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Gibbs queried, wryly.

"No, not really," DiNozzo acquiesced dejectedly. "I know the drill."

"Good."

"Aw, look what he did to my hat!" Tony groaned. "I really liked this hat too."

Gibbs half smiled and patted Tony's good shoulder. "I'll buy you another one, DiNozzo."

_**FIN**_

A/N: Entered for the "Said/Say Challenge" over at the NFA Forum. _The Challenge: You must write a story in which there IS dialogue and you must use dialogue tags, but you cannot use "say" or "said" (or "says") or any other form of the word "said" in your story. You must use other tags._


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